Shattered Dreams Part 2
by Terry Orlando
Summary: Tragedy puts a strain on Lee and Amanda's relationship.


SHATTERED DREAMS

PART TWO

"Yes!" Billy barked into the phone, then listened.

"Well, she'll have to call them back. We're right in the middle of..." again he listened.

"All right," he was slightly irritated. "Put her through."

Billy punched a button on the phone and, cradling the receiver in his hand, turned to Amanda.

"Amanda, your mother. Line one."

Amanda's face flushed slightly as she got up and walked toward him. She muttered an apology as she took the receiver from his hand and walked around behind him to take the call. Billy resumed his discussion, but the one-sided conversation taking place behind him could be overheard by all.

"Mother, I'm in a meeting, can I call....Mother, slow down...I can't understand a word you're..."

Billy's words were lost on Lee - he was more interested in what was going on with Amanda. He watched as her eyes widened and all the color suddenly drained from her face.

"What!?" she gasped. The room fell silent and all eyes were on her.

"Oh my God! I'll be right there!"

Amanda hung up the phone and Lee was already making his way across the room toward her as she was walking passed Billy, visibly shaken.

"Sir, I have to leave..."

"Amanda, what is it?" Billy and Lee asked in unison.

Amanda looked at Lee, a fear in her eyes the likes of which he had never seen before.

"Jamie was hit by a car. I have to go to the hospital." she choked out and ran out the door.

Lee said nothing, but gave Billy a pleading look.

"Go." was all Billy could manage.

Lee was out the door in a flash and ran to catch up with Amanda, leaving behind a room full of stunned agents.

The drive to the hospital seemed eternal. Lee drove while Amanda sat in silence. He glanced at her every once in a while. She was trying to be strong, but he could see the tears welling in her eyes, her hands shaking uncontrollably. He felt himself shaking as well and he had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if it was just sympathy for her or because he had grown so close to her boys in the past several months. 'Is this what it feels like to be a parent when your child is sick or hurt' he wondered. Nevertheless, he could not let her see that he was quite shaken too. He reached for her hand and broke the deafening silence.

"Hey, let's try to stay calm, O.K. We don't know how serious it is."

"He was hit by a car, Lee!"

"I know...but, that doesn't necessarily mean he was seriously injured. When I was a kid a friend of mine got hit by a car and he came away with just a broken leg. I mean, we don't know where Jamie was at, how fast the car was going..."

"Lee, I know you're trying to comfort me and I appreciate that but, could you just not talk. Just drive, please. Just get me to the hospital."

"I...I'm sorry, I..."

"No...no, don't be. You're probably right. He's probably just banged up a little."

"Thank you for being with me," she said, squeezing his hand.

"Where else would I be?"

At the hospital Dottie West and her oldest grandson, Philip sat impatiently in the waiting room. They both jumped up the second Amanda and Lee walked in. Amanda rushed toward them, rattling off questions.

"Mother, how is he...what happened...where is he..."

Dottie, who was trying desperately to get a word in, grabbed her daughter by the shoulders.

"Amanda!" she practically shouted. "Come sit down and I'll tell you what I know."

Lee placed his hand in the small of Amanda's back and lead her to a chair, then sat beside her. Dottie and Philip joined them and Lee and Amanda sat on the edge of their chairs, listening to Dottie as she told them that Jamie was on his way to a friend's house. He was riding his bike in the crosswalk and a car ran the stop sign. The doctors were still with him and there was no word on how extensive his injuries were.

Amanda allowed 15 minutes to go by before she was at the nurses' station questioning the petite woman behind the desk.

"Excuse me. Can you please tell me what's happening with my son?"

"What is your son's name, ma'am?"

"King. Jaime King. He was brought in by ambulance. He was hit by a car."

The nurse typed into the computer in front of her and stared at the screen a moment.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. King. I don't have any information. I can put a call into the trauma room and see if I can find something out for you."

"Yes, please do." Amanda was still shaking inside, but she tried to remain calm and polite.

"I may have to wait for a call back. If you'll just have a seat in the waiting room I will let you know as soon as I have information for you."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

More than 20 agonizing minutes passed before the nurse came into the waiting room to let Amanda know that doctors were still working with Jamie, but she had no other information. She bit her lower lip and clenched her fists trying to keep her nerves from unraveling. After an hour of Philip asking, 'when are they going to tell us something' every so often and Lee's incessant pacing, Amanda lost her cool.

"Lee! Will you please stop that! You're driving me crazy! Just sit down, or go somewhere else..."

Lee went to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, "I'm sorry..."

Amanda pushed his arms from her, "Oh, this is ridiculous!"

She stormed over to the nurses' station, with Lee close behind. The same nurse as before stood behind the desk. She looked up to see Amanda coming and knew she was in for a confrontation.

"What is going on with my son?!" demanded Amanda, slamming her fist on the desk.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I haven't heard anything." The nurse took a step back.

"Well, you'd better find out something fast, because I have used up all my patience sitting in that damn waiting room! Get on the phone and call whoever it is you have to call or go into that trauma room and...never mind, I'll find out myself!"

Lee, who was standing behind Amanda, was stunned. He knew she had a temper in there somewhere, but this was the first time he had ever seen her lash out like that, to a total stranger no less. He was snapped out of it by the realization that Amanda was headed toward the trauma room doors. He knew that, after so much time had gone by without a word, it was quite possible that Jaime was in bad shape. He couldn't let her go in there. He caught her by the arms, just as the nurse was telling her she was 'not allowed in there', and turned her to face him.

"Let go of me, Lee!"

"Amanda!" "I have to see Jaime! I have to know if he's all right..." she struggled to free herself and he tightened his grip.

"Amanda!" Lee shouted, shaking her this time.

She stopped struggling and looked up at him. her lower lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears.

"I can't...can't wait anymore, Lee. I...I have to know."

Amanda leaned toward him and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She laid her head against his chest and softly cried while he held her. Dottie and Philip heard the commotion and walked up from behind. Philip placed a hand on his mother's back.

"Mom, Jamie's gonna be O.K. You'll see," he tried to comfort her.

Dottie put one hand on Lee's shoulder and the other on Amanda's.

"I know the waiting is hard Honey, but the doctors will tell us something as soon as they can. Come on and sit down."

Amanda regained her composure, but she leaned against Lee as he put his arm around her and lead her back to the waiting room. 

Back in the waiting room, Dottie asked, "Would you like me to call Joe?"

Lee instinctively opened his mouth to protest, but was able to stop himself. 'Of course Joe should be here. Jaime _is_ hisson after all,' he told himself.

A few minutes after Dottie came back from calling Joe, the doctor walked into the waiting room.

"Mrs. King?" he asked as Amanda jumped to her feet.

"Yes."

"I'm Dr. Slausen," he said, offering a hand for her to shake. "Why don't you have a seat?"

"I'll stand thank you, how is my son?" Amanda was in no mood for formalities.

"Mrs. King, Jaime has sustained serious injuries to his kidneys. We have him stabilized, but he's bleeding internally and he needs surgery...now. We won't know how badly the kidneys are damaged until we get inside. I'll have the nurse..."

That was the last coherent thing Amanda heard. The room spun out of control and she fainted, Lee catching her before she hit the floor.

TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
